Switch for electric circuits



May 11 1926-. 1,584,306

J. E. KENNEDY ET m.

SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS Filed August 20 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 46 739 TliuL v "I 35 27 6,8 3 6 5 noawboz JOI-IIV E. KENNFDY & aAREA/KIFEMwWMo;

J'. E. KENNEDY ET AL SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS May 11 1926. 1,584,306

Filed August 20, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 awuewbow JOHN E. KENNEDY 8tCLARENCE E. MOPFOPD.

H 23 QW Patented May 11, 1925.

UNITED STATE5 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. KENNEDY AND CLARENCE E. MGR/FORD, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

Application filed. August 20, 1923.

This invention relates to a switch for electric circuits and is designedmore particularly for use in controlling the lights of an automobile orthe like.

One object of the invention is to provide a switch by means of which thevarious lighting circuits may be conveniently controlled to cause suchof said lamps as may be desired to be illuminated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this kindwhich may be set to close the circuit to the headlights and then shiftedto close the circuit to the dimmers without altering the position of thesetting means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a switch of this kindwhich will be simple in its construction and operation and which will beof such a character that the parts thereof will not be easilydisarranged or rendered inoperative.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the device is described indetail.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view of a switch embodyingour invention; Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 ot'Fig. 1; Fig.3 is a bottom plan view of the switch; Fig. 4 is a front elevation ofthe same; Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6is a section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 7 is a sectiontaken on the line 77 of Fig. 2.

In these drawings we have illustrated one embodiment of our inventionbut it will be understood that this embodiment has been chosen for thepurposes of illustration only and that the device may take varioustorn'is without departing from the spirit'oi the in.- vention.

As here shown the switch comprises a main frame consisting of a base 1,a front wall 2, a rear wall 3 and an intermediate wall or partition 4,the walls 2, 3, and l being preferably arranged parallel and beingspaced one from the other Preferably this main "frame is formed from asingle piece of metal the lateral portions of which are bentupwardly toform the front and rear walls, and the base of which is cut a 'aybetween the back wall and the intermediate wall 4 to form an opening 5in the base and the material thus cut away is bent upwardly to term theintermediate wall 1. Rigidly cured the base l b'eneath the opening 5 ti.rethrough is a late of insulatinginata rial (i r. which are iii-minted athe-stay m? Serial No. 658,312.

fixed contact members. In the present instance, there are four ofthesecontact members each of which constitutes a binding post extendingthrough the insulating plate and having its upper end shaped toconstitute a contact member. If desired, an ordinary brass screw may bepassed through the 1nsulating plate with its head above the same andprovided with nuts by means of which the conductor may be attachedthereto. In the present construction these four contact members areshown at 7, 8, 9 and 10. The contact member 7 is connected with the headlight circuit, the contact member 8 is connected with the dimmercircuit, the contact member 9 is connected with the tail light circuitand the cont-act member 10 is con-- nected with the circuit for aparking light or such auxiliary light as may be employed on the machine.Mounted on the insulated base plate 6 and arranged above therespecthrough the block 12 and the insulating plate 6. The bolt projectssome distance below the insulating plate and is provided with nuts 14for attaching the conductor thereto, thus constituting the bolt abinding post. The plate 11 is bifurcated on each side of its point ofconnection with the plate 6 so as to provide the same with tour contactmembers, as shown at 15, 16, 17 and 18. These contact members beingformed of resilient metal they will be normally supported in positionsabove but out of contact with the respective fixed contact members butmaybe readily pressed downward into engagement with the respectivecontact members to establish an electrical connection between the sameand the plate 11, which will be connected with a battery or other sourceof electrical current. It will be apparent, therefore, that when theseveral movable contact members are unrestrained they willoccupyinoperative positions with'relation to the fixed contact members and allthe circuits will be broken. I A v I Suitable operating devices areprovided depressing ted moval'sle contact members to' close the circuitthrough selected lamps and these actuating devices are of such acharacter that the circuits may be closed individually or in certaingroups. The actuating devices may take various forms but, in the presentinstance, we have provided two levers, 19 and 20, which are pivotallymounted between their ends on a shaft, or bolt, 21 mounted in the backwall 3 and intermediate wall 1 of the main frame and arranged a shortdistance above the contact plate 11. Each lever extends parallel withone pair of contact arms, and 16 and 17 and 18, and is provided at itsends with means, preferably in the form of blocks of insulatingn'iaterial', as shown at 22, to engage and actuate the correspondingmovable contact members. The two actuating levers are mounted formovement about the same axis, are similar in construction and areindependently operable, but the means for controlling the positions ofthese levers is such that they may be operated either independently orsimultaneously according to the grouping of circuits desired. Preferablythe levers are acted upon by springs which tend to move the same in onedirection and means are provided for controlling the movement of theselevers by the springs and for moving the same against the tension of thesprings. In the present construction each lever is provided with an armextending upwardly therefrom, the lever 20 having an arm 23 extending ashort distance above the same and connected by a spring 2% with a fixedpart of the frame, such as a lug 25, carried by the intermediate wallat. The arm 26 which extends upwardly from the lever 19 is of greaterlength than the arm 23 and is connected by a link 27 with a rock arm 28mounted on a shaft 29 journal-ed in the front and rear walls of the mainframe. The rock arm 28 is provided with a bracket 30 which is connectedby means of a spring 31 with a fixed part of the main frame, such as alug 32 carried by the base 1, the action of this spring being such as tomove the rock arm 28 and consequently the arm 26 of the lever 19 towardthe left in the drawings. The means for controlling the movement of thelevers by the springs may take various forms but for convenience ofoperation we prefer to utilize a rotating devic having cam surfacesarranged in line with the arms 23 and 26 and the positions of which,with relation to said arms, will control the positions of the actuatinglevers 19 and 20. In the present construction, a shaft is rotatablymounted in the walls 2, 3 and 4, of the frame and is provided on thatportion adjacent to the edges of the arms 23 and 26 with cam shapedportions, which portions are adapted to engage the respective arms andto limit their movement under the influence of the springs or to movethem against the tension of the springs. The shaft 33 extends throughthe front wall 2 and is provided with an actuating knob or handle 34 andalso has connected therewith a pointer 35 which is adapted to travelover an indicator or dial formed on the outer surface of the front wall2, which constitutes the face plate of the switch. This dial is providedwith a plurality of letters or markings to indicate the connectionswhich will be established when the pointer is in a given position andpreferably the face plate is provided adjacent to each indication with arecess 36 adapted to receive the inturned end of the pointer and securethe same against accidental displacement. Stops or pins 3. project fromthe face plate to limit the rotation of the shaft 33. In order that theinturned end of the pointer 35 may be moved into and out of a recess 36a spring 38 is coiled about the rear end of tie shaft 33, which projectsbeyond the back plate 3 and is confined between said back plate and astop or washer 39 mounted on the rear end of the shaft. Thus a forwardpull on the knob 3d will disengage the pointer from the recess in whichit is seated and when the knob is released the pointer will be pressedagainst the face plate and if it is in line with a recess will be movedinto that recess. In the present construction, the shaft 33 is notprovided with separate cam members but has those portions thereofadjacent to the edges of the arms and 26 cut away to impart to the shaftits-elf shapes which will properly control the two arms. The particularshapes of these portions of the shaft will be determined by thepositions in which the levers are to be retained by the shaft. in thepresent arrangement of the mechanism the cam surfaces are of such acharacter that when the pointer 35 is in its neutral or zero position,as shown in Fig. 4, the arms 23 and 26 will be held in such positionsthat the levers 19 and 20 will be substantially hori zontal,consequently none of the movable contact members will be depressed. Ifthe pointer is moved to position B on the dial both arms 23 and 23 willbe permitted to move under the influence of the springs 2 1 and 31 tothe left, thereby depressing the contact members 15 and 17 and closingthe circuits through the head lights and through the tail light. If thepointer is moved to the position T on the dial the arm 26 will be forcedback to its neutral positon but the arm 23 will remain in a position tohold the circuit closed through the tail light. If the pointer isadvanced to position P, the arm 23 will be restored to its neutralposition and moved past that position to depress the contact member 13to close the circuit to the parking light. In the present construction,this is the last position to which the pointer can be moved in thisdirection. if the pointer is moved from zero to position D the arm 26will be moved to the right to depress the contact member 16 and closethe circuit to the dimmers and at the same time the arm 23 will bepermitted to move to the left to depress the contact member 17 and closethe circuit through the tail light.

in driving an automobile with powerful head lights it is frequentlynecessary to dim the head lights to avoid interfering with L driver ofan approaching vehicle and in the application for patent tiled April 25,1923, by John Kennedy, Serial No. titll gfi,

there is shown an apparatus designed to be operated by the knee of thedriver tor quickly and easily dimmii'ig the head lights and thenrestoring them to their full illumination. lhe present switch isparticularly adapted for use in connection with this de vice and to thisend we have rigidly secured the rock arm 28 to the shaft 29 and have extended this shaft through the front wall 2 of" the frame and haveprovided the same with an actuating member 410 which is do signed foroperative connection with the controlling mechanism of the abovementioned application. That controlling mechanism preferably compris arock shaft ll mounted in suitable brackets arranged at the side or" thecar and provided with a depending arm 42 arranged adjacent to thedrivers knee so that a slight lateral movement of the knee will rock theshaft ll. Rigidly secured to the shaft l1 is a second rock arm 43 theupper end of which is connected with, or in engagement with, theactuating member or arm 40 in such a manner as to cause that arm to rockthe shaft 29 in direction to move the arm 26 of the lever 19 to theright in the drawings and thus release the contact member 15 whichcloses the circuit through the head lights and actuate he contact member16 to close the circuit to the dimmers. This is accomplished withoutshifting the position of the cam sha'tt by simply forcing the arm awayfrom the cam surface and against the tension of the spring 31. As soonas the pressure on the controlling device is relieved the spring 31 willrestore the lever 19 to its original position, thereby cutting out thedimmers and again brightly illuminating the head lights. This shiftingof the circuit can be accomplished very quickly and very easily and thehead lights are entirely dark but tor a very brief instant. To protectthe switch against injury due to the violent operation of thecontrolling device we have established a yielding connection between therock arm 28 and the link 27 which connects the same with the arm 26. Ashere shown the upper end of the rock arm 28 is slidably mounted on thelink 27 and a spring 45 is coiled about the link and con fined betweenthe arm 28 and a stop to secured to the link. This spring of sufiicientstillness to cause the link and arm 26 to be actuated by the rock armbut will yield in case excessive pressure is applied to the rock arm,before the switch is injured.

While we have shown and described one en'ibodiment of our invention wewish it to be understood that we do not desire to be limited to thedetails thereof as various modifications may appear to a person skilledin the art.

Having now fully described our invention, what we claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the character described, a. plurality ot contactmen'ibers, a corresponding plnrality 0t movable contact mem bers heldnormally out of engagement with the respective first mentioned contactmem bers, a pivoted actuating device having parts to engage and actuatethe respective movable contact members, a spring acting on said. deviceto move the same .in one direction, and means to control the movement ofsaid device by said spring, said controlling means being so arrangedthat when moved to one position it will retainv said ac tuating devicein an intermediate position, when moved to another position it willpermit said actuating device to be moved by said spring, and when movedto a third position it will cause said actuating device to be movedagainst the action of said spring and beyond said intermediate position.

2. In a device ot the character described, a plurality of contactmembers, a corre sponding plurality of movable contact members heldnormally out of engagement with the respective first mentioned contactmembers, a lever pivotally mounted between its ends on an axis arrangedbetween two of said movable Contact members and having parts to engageand actuate the respective movable contact members, a spring acting onsaid lever to move the same in one direction, and a cam acting a stop tolimit the movement of said lever by said spring and to move said leverin the opposite direction against the tension of the said s n'ing.

In a device of the character described, a plurality of contact members,a correspending plurality of movable contact members held normally outof engagement with the respective mentioned contact members, a leverpivotally mounted between its ends on an axis arranged between two ofsaid movable contact members and having iarts to engage and actuate therespective movable contact members, an arm extending upwardly from saidlever adjacent to the axis thereof, a spring acting on said arm to movesaid lever about its axis, and a rotatable member arranged adjacenttosaid arm and havi cam surfaces to engage said arm and limit the movemento't saidlever by said spring and to more said lever against the action,of said spring.

t in a device of the character described, a plurality of co; ct-iembers, a corresponding plurality ojt movable contact members heldnorm y out of engagement with the respective first n'ientioned contactmembers, a lever piv tally mounted between its ends on an axis arrangedbetween two of said movable contact members and having parts to engageand actuate the respective movable contact members, an arm extendingupwardly from said lever adjacent to the axis thereof, a spring actingon said arm to move said lever about is axis, and a shaft extendingtransversely to said arm and having portions thereof cut away to providecam surfaces to control the position of said arm.

5. In a device of the character described, a plurality of contactmembers, a corresponding plurality or" movable contact members heldnormally out of or gei'i'ient with the t'r t mentioned ntz ct mcnibers,two independent levers pivotally mounted adjacent to said movableCOiiLUCt members and each having parts to engage the respective movablecontact members and actuate the same, and means to cause said lovers tomove either in unison or relatively one to the other.

(5. ln a device of the character described, a plurality of contactmembers, a corresponding plurality of movable contact members heldnormally out of engagement with the first me tionea contact members, twoindependent levers pivotally mounted adjacent to said movable contactmembers and each having parts to engage the respective movable contactmeml ers and actuate the same, a spring acting on each lever to move thesan'ie in one direc ion, a manually actuated device to control themovement of said levers by said springs and to move said levers againstthe action of said springs either in unison or with relation one to theother.

7, In a device of the character described, a plurality of contactnembers, a corresponding plurality of movable contact members heldnormally out of engagement with the first n'ientioncd contact members,two independent levers pivotally mounted adjacent to said movable*ontact members and each having parts to engage the respective movablecontact men'ibers and actuate the same, a spring acting on each of saidlevers to move tlr same in one direction, and a rotatable 1TlO1l1l')Cz"having cam shaped portions acting on said levers to cause the same to bemoved either in unison or with relation one to the other.

8, In a device of the character described, a plurality of contactmembers, a corresponding plurality of movable contact memhers heldnormally out of engagement with the first mentioned contact members, twoindependent levers pivotally n'iounted be tween their ends and eachhaving at its respective ends parts to engage the corre sponding movablecontact members and actuate the same, springs acting on said sa ll arrrrespective first mentioned contact mem- Jers, an actuating devicecomprising parts arranged to engage and actuate the respective movablecontact members, means comprising :1 am. to control the position of saidactuatirdevice, and means for in'iparting movement said actuating devicewith to relation to said controlling means.

10. In device oi he character described, a plurality of contact members,a corresponding plurality o1" movable contact memllPQTS heldnormally-out of engagement with the respective first mentioned contactmembers, a pivoted actuating device having parts to engage and actuatethe movable contact members, means to control the position. of saidactuating device, and other n' eans move said actuating devicerelatively to said controlling means.

11. In a device of the character described, a plurality of contactmembers, a corresponding plurality of? movable contact members heldnormally out of engagement with the respective first mentioned contactmembers, a lever pivotally mounted between its ends on an axis arrangedbetween two of said movable contact members and havir-g parts to engageand actuate the respective mo able contact mei'nbers, an arm extendingabove said lever near the axis thereof, a spring acting on said arm tomove the same in one direction, a rotatable member having cam surfacesto control the movement of said arm by said spring and to move the sameagainst the tension ot said spring, and other means for actuating saidarm against the tension ot said spring to move said arm away from thefirst mentioneo controlling device.

12. ln a device of the character descr bed, a plurality of contactmembers, a corresponding plurality 0t movable contact members heldnormally out of engagement with the respective first mentioned contactmembers, a lever pivotally mounted between its ends on an axis arrangedbetween two of said movable contact members and having parts to enga eand actuate the respective movable cont: members, an arm extending aboveslever near the axis thereof, a spring on said arm to move the same inone run, a rotatable member having cam iacesto control the movement ofsaid arm by said spring, and to move the same against the tension ofsaid spring, a rock arm operatively connected with the arm of saidlever, and an actuating member for imparting movement to said rock arm.

13. In a device of the character described, a plurality of contactmembers, a corresponding plurality of movable contact members heldnormally out of engagement with the respective first mentioned contactmembers, a lever pivotally mounted between its ends on an axis arrangedbetween two of said movable contact members and having parts to engageand actuate the respective movable contact members, an arm extendingabove said lever near the axis thereof, a spring acting on said arm tomove the same in one direction, a rotatable member having cam surfacesto control the movement of said arm by said spring and to move the sameagainst the tension of said spring, a rocl: shaft, an arm secured tosaid rock shaft, a link connecting the last mentioned arm with the armof said lever, and an actuating member connected with said rock shaft.

14. In a device of the character described, a plurality of contactmembers, a corresponding plurality of movable contact members ieldnormally out of engagement with the respective first mentioned contactmembers, a lever pivotally mounted between its ends on an axis arrangedbetween two of said movable contact members and having parts to engageand actuate the respective movable contact members, an arm extendingabove said lever near the axis thereof, a spring acting on said arm tomove the same in one direction, a rotatable member having cam surfacesto control the movement of said arm by said spring and to move the sameagainst the tension of said spring, a rock shaft, an arm secured to saidrock shaft, a link connecting the last mentioned arm with the arm ofsaid lever, an actuating member connected with said rock shaft, and ayieldable connection between the last mentioned arm and said link.

15. In a device of the character described, a plurality of pairs ofcontact members, a corresponding plurality of pairs of movable contactmembers, separate actuating devices for the respective pairs of movablecontactmemhers, means for controlling the positions of said actuatingdevices, and other means for moving one of said actuating devices withrelation to said controlling means.

16. In a device of the character described,

17. In a device of the character described,

a plurality of contact members, a corresponding plurality of movablecontact members held normally out of engagement with the first mentionedcontact members, two independent levers mounted adjacent to said movablecontact members and each having parts to engage the correspondingmovable contact members and actuate the same, means for controlling thepositions of said levers, and other means for moving one of said leversrelatively to said controlling means.

18. In a device of the character described, a plurality of contactmembers, a corresponding plurality of movable contact members heldnormally out of engagement with the first mentioned contact members, twoindependent levers mounted adjacent to said movable contact members andeach having parts to engage the corresponding movable contact membersand actuate the same, a spring acting on each of said levers to move thesame in one direction, a manually actuated device to control themovement of said levers by said springs and to move said levers againstthe action of said springs either in unison or with relation one to theother, and means for moving one of said levers independently of saidmanually actuated device.

19. In a device of the character described, a plurality of contactmembers, a corresponding plurality of movable contact members heldnormally out of engagement with the first mentioned contact members, twoindependent levers mounted adjacent to said movable contact members andeach having parts to engage the corresponding movable contact membersand actuate the same, a spring acting on each of said levers to move thesame in one direction, a. rotatable member having cam shaped portionsacting on said levers to cause the same to be moved either in unison orwith relation one to the other, and means for moving one of said leversagainst the action of its spring and beyond the position determined bysaid rotatable member.

20. In a device of the character described, a main frame, an insulatingplate carried by said main frame, a plurality of contact members mountedon said insulating plate, a plurality of resilient contact arms mountedon said insulating plate and arranged normally out 01 contact with therespective first mentioned contact members, independent levers pivotallymounted between their ends on said main frame and each having at itsends parts to engage the respective resilient contact members, and meansto move said levers either in the same direction or in diflerentdirections.

21. In a device of the character described, a main frame an insulatingplate carried by said main frame, a plurality of contact members mountedon said insulating plate, a plurality of resilient contact membersmounted on said insulating plate and arranged normally out of contactwith the respective first mentioned contact members, a lever pivotallymounted between its ends on said main frame and having at its ends partsto engage the respective resilient contact members, a spring to movesaid lever in one direction, and a cam shaped device to limit themovement of said lever by said spring and to move the same against thetension 01 said spring.

In testimony whereof, we afiiX our signatures hereto.

JOHN E. KENNEDY. CLARENCE E. MORFORD.

